caught off guard new sulcata owner

[Angryfab]

HI everyone my name is George .
I live in North Alabama .my grammar isn't very good I spell everything wrong most of the time.
I seen a sulcata tortoise several years ago at a zoo an thought they were the coolest thing that I have ever seen .
When I found out some time latter that people keep thme as pets I mention to my wife that I might want one.
So now to they caught off guard side earlier this week she showed up with one.

 

[Angryfab]

 

[Angryfab]

So I don't have anything other then a box that my wife made in here again class

 

[wellington]

Hello and Welcome. First thing I see is the stones you have him on in the pic. He may try to eat them and then will become impacted if they don't pass. Either remove the stones or fence off a section of fertilizer and pesticide free grass and weeds.
Take a read of all the stickies in the sulcata section. The ones pertaining to hatchlings may still be a good read, remembering it's for hatching.

 

[Angryfab]

Yes I set her down out side just for the pictures .the people at the pet store said she was six years old .
Let me tell you y'all a little a bought me an my wife .
We have a 200 across farm we raise beef cattle an we have several horse my wife has a degree in animal signs from MTSU and she specializes in equine.she's a ag teacher .
Me I have a fab shop on our property I built rock bouncers an the shop is where I will be keeping her

 

[Angryfab]

I get on the off road forms a good bit an with experience from them I knew that if I wanted to find people who knew what they were talking a bought I need to get on a good forum I will upload some pictures of what I have as of now an I plan on building a big habitat for her at the shop. So I will be doing a lot of reading an asking questions if that's OK .

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum, and ask away.

 

[Angryfab]

Welcome to the forum, and ask away.

Tks.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi George, and welcome to the Forum!

First thing you've got to do is fence off a portion of your land for the tortoise. They are miniature cows and need to graze at will. Here's where my sulcata lives:

 

[Angryfab]

So she hasn't eat anything in the day an a half I've had her .I am hoping it is because she was cold .I had her in the shop on the concrete in the box with the light sitting on top of the wire.so last night I read quite a bit an found out that was all wrong . I went to the shop at 11 o'clock an put a big pice of rubber mat an put the heat light into her box

 

[Yvonne G]

Also, they don't like change, so she'll be a bit scared for a while. Once you get her set up outside on her own pasture, she'll come around.

 

[Angryfab]

First thing this morning I moved the entire box and everything into the house .I will post a picture of how she is an if it will do it'll I can get stuff built

 

[Angryfab]

Hi George, and welcome to the Forum!

First thing you've got to do is fence off a portion of your land for the tortoise. They are miniature cows and need to graze at will. Here's where my sulcata lives:

View attachment 201552

That's nice I was going to get the backhoe an dig a footing an pour a 12 in footing in the ground an then do a fine on top of that so she can't dig under it .

 

[Yvonne G]

My sulcata has never tried to dig under the fence. All I did was lay pavers down first, then build the fence on top of them:

 

[Angryfab]

My sulcata has never tried to dig under the fence. All I did was lay pavers down first, then build the fence on top of them:

View attachment 201554

That would be a lot easier .
So is it better to have a closed fence ? I was wanting to do a nice rod iron fence

 

[Yvonne G]

If they can see under or through, they always want to get to the other side. It's better to close off their world.

 

[Angryfab]

He is how she is now
I named her Low range

 

[Yvonne G]

YOu've got a light in there so she has a place to warm up over 80F right?

 

[Angryfab]

 

[Angryfab]

Yes but it's just the one the pet store sold to my wife I'm not sure it will be enough